


Tired of England

by meisterful



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: College AU, F/M, London AU, Modern AU, Study abroad au, entirely too sweet for this pairing or this fandom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-28
Updated: 2016-04-27
Packaged: 2018-06-05 00:02:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6681283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meisterful/pseuds/meisterful
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He’s a Grad Student for Christ’s sake. Study abroad fresher status shouldn’t mean anything once you’re over the age of twenty-five. Schoolyard crushes should mean even less. Six months isn't a long time to accidentally reinvent yourself, but Kylo Ren has always been an overachiever. Study Abroad AU, oneshot collection, Reylo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tired of England

**Author's Note:**

> My deep, aching, longing to return to London is entirely to blame for this. I make no apologies.

_How can they be tired of England?_

_They'll never know the England that we know_

_Never know where the ones with dreams go, no_

_Never notice the skies with their eyes down low_

**\- Dirty Pretty Things - Tired Of England**

 

 

 As he surveys the overflowing pint in front of him and does his best to drown out the screams and hollers of drunken revelry berating his senses, Kylo Ren can’t help but feel that he is definitely too old for this. How he had wound up in the middle of a Frosh Week celebration in the heart of London still escapes him. He’s a Grad Student for Christ’s sake. Study abroad fresher status shouldn’t mean anything once you’re over the age of twenty-five and he passed that birthday four years ago.

“Drink up mate!” Someone thumps him on the back and it takes all of his willpower not to thump them back, hard.

Fuck it all to hell.

He slams the drink back, lager swilling around his mouth and dribbling down his chin as the students behind him erupt in to over excited cheering. He glugs the bitter drink down finally admitting defeat with a third of the glass still full. It lands with a jarring slam on the counter and fuck he’s a lightweight. He should not be feeling an alcohol induced delay. So much for being too old for this.

Laughter rings out near him exuberant and clear. He turns slowly to seek out its source. Sitting further down the bar from him laughing at something another girl has said sits the most glittering girl he’s ever seen. Her head is thrown back and her mouth opens wide, but there’s nothing comic or garish about it. She’s not dressed up, garbed only in a grey jacket, university t-shirt and jeans, hair left loose falling to her shoulders. It almost seems like she’s brightening up the space around her, a beacon of carelessly happy light inside the dim and grungy pub.

How much beer is in a pint anyways?

Almost as if she can sense his eyes on her she whips her head around and catches his gaze. Kylo can feel his traitorously pale skin betraying him as he breaks out in what’s sure to be a splotchy flush. She cocks her head at him, a quizzical look in her eyes. She mouths something to her friend and then she’s slipping off her chair and moving through the crowd. Oh God. She’s coming towards him. Kylo grabs for his drink and takes one quick swig, settling it back on the bar just in time for her to sidle up next to him.

“Hullo.” She graces him with a smile and he’s not sure if it’s the alcohol that’s creating the seeping sensation of warmth through his chest, or if she’s just that dazzling.

He nods to her once, unable to gather his thoughts fast enough to form words.

“You’re one of the study abroad kids right?” Her accent is reminiscent of period dramas and rolls warm and welcoming from her perfectly pink lips.

There’s any number of things he could say in response to that. He could introduce himself or launch into a discussion about his graduate work or how he came to be in London, but of all the extensive vocabulary and higher education he possess what comes out of his mouth isn’t cool, collected or smart.

“I’m not a kid.”

She laughs at him and he knows it’s all over. If there’s one thing Kylo Ren will never tolerate its being laughed at and yet he’s certain he’d sacrifice himself to the throes of public humiliation just to be the person to make her laugh again.

 “That’s obvious. You’re probably the oldest person here except for Barry the bartender.”

“I’m a grad student. We’re old.”

Her smile remains intact, directed entirely at him. He doesn’t quite know what to make of that.

“I’m Rey Niima.” She holds out her hand to him.

He takes it, hopes he doesn’t look too eager and shakes her hand with a firm grip she returns easily. She’s strong and not afraid to show it. Lord help him.

“Kylo Ren.” He answers.

“Is that an American thing? Like a nickname?”

“It’s my name.” He’s never thought it sounded ridiculous until this moment.

She looks at him warily, like she’s half expecting him to be joking. Kylo can feel himself folding in on himself, shoulders hunching over and head tilting to hide behind long, dark hair. Rey’s hand is on his arm suddenly, fingers warm through his sweater.

“I like it.” She’s smiling again, and it just may be the death of him. “It’s unique.”

“Better than another Matt I guess.” He chances a joke, peeks out from under his hair at her.

Her laugh is heaven to his ears and they feel hot at her attention, dare he believe, her approval.

“What do you study Kylo?” she settles into her seat, only glancing away from him for a second to catch the bartender’s attention and gesture for a drink.

“People call me Ren.” He corrects on instinct before continuing, “Law and political science with a focus in international relations and war crimes.”

“That’s a mouthful. You going to save the world, hunt down war criminals one by one for the United Nations?”

The bartender places a beer down on the table in front of them and she takes it with a cheery “Ta”. He stares at the counter, not quite sure how to answer that. If anything he’s training to do the opposite. His interests are that of his benefactor. He’s never had a real job before, been estranged from his parents since he got his high school diploma and is still entirely dependent on the investment his old tutor Snoke has made him into.

“Not really.” He finally settles on after a too long pause. “What about you?”

“Undeclared. I guess I’m a bit of a scavenger. I can’t settle on anything, I just keep picking up random classes that interest me, but I’ve got time.”

Kylo has never met anyone comfortable with uncertainty before, someone without a plan or a clear end goal.

“That doesn’t worry you?”

“No. Why should it? We’re young. There’s endless possibilities out there. Besides, I’d hate to dedicate myself to one thing then find out too late that I pigeonholed myself too soon and missed out on an opportunity. I mean surely there’s something you would have liked to try, but didn’t have time for.”

She takes a long gulp from her drink, oblivious to what she’s just achieved. It’s almost as if she’s lifted the thought from his mind, torn through his consciousness like a heat seeking missile, clawing through to his deepest fears, his most insidious doubts and she isn’t even trying, doesn’t know what it is she’s doing. He’s suddenly aware of the music again. The tone has shifted from a strong, determined bassline to soft guitar strums. Against his better judgement he answers her query.

“Actually you’re right.”

“You feel it too!” her smile is gone, but she’s looking at him in awe like she doesn’t quite believe this can be happening.

It’s unreal and he can’t believe he’s reading the situation right. As if anyone would think that her being excited to find common ground with someone like him would be exciting or important. Rey takes another long gulp of her beer before putting it down and glancing at her watch. He knew it was too good to be true. She’s looking for an escape. Kylo braces himself for her excuse, the awkward half guarded rejection and regret for ever having engaged him in the first place. It was nice while it lasted. At least he got to bask in her light for a brief moment. She surprises him entirely with what she says next.

“Hey, look I’ve got to run. I’m meeting some friends for a show, but give me your number. I want to hear all about your secret ambition you don’t have time for.”

“My number?”

“Yeah, have you got one yet?”

He nods, jerky and embarrassing. “I memorised it this morning.”

She giggles at him and hands over her phone. The brush of her skin against his is enough to stop his heart. “Good to know.”

He punches the number in, barely controlling the shaking of his hands. He puts the phone on the counter and slides it across to her, avoiding skin to skin contact. He’s not sure he’ll survive it in his current state.

“Make sure you get home safe okay Ren.” Rey jokes, tapping out a message.

He does laugh at that, just a little. As if he needs to be afraid walking streets at night. He’s six foot three and built like a marine. If anything Rey with her slender figure and pretty face should be afraid of him. He’s something of a monster of a man after all. He and Snoke have made sure of that.

 “Text me when you get home safe okay. I’ll call tomorrow.” If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was expressing genuine concern for him.

“I don’t have your number.”

His phone vibrates in his pocket.

“Now you do. I’ll see you around Ren.”

She gifts him one last dazzling smile before turning on her heel and hurrying out the door, nose buried in her phone and fingers flying furiously nimble across the screen. She disappears out the door and the bar steadily seeps back into Kylo’s range of perception. It doesn’t feel real. Surely Rey was just an alcohol and jetlag induced hallucination. He pulls his phone from his pocket with shaking hands, afraid to check his notifications just in case. Waiting for him is a text message.

As he surveys the two half empty glasses on the bar in front of him and does his best to stop a wide, ugly smile from spreading across his face, Kylo Ren can’t help but feel that he is definitely too old for this. How he wound up in the middle of a Frosh Week celebration in the heart of London with a fragile new crush escapes him. He’s only here for six months for Christ’s sake. He doesn’t have the time or the ability to commit to anything beyond his studies.

_Welcome home, R._

The text is sweet and entirely too familiar and it takes all of his willpower not to answer it straight away with something inevitably embarrassing.

Fuck it all to hell.

He texts back.

_Glad to be here, R._

 


End file.
